Agenda item

This report sets out the 2019/2020 revenue budget proposals including:

· Council tax levels

· Savings and growth proposals

· Changes to fees and charges

· Budget risks, reserves and balances

· Equalities Impact Assessments

7.07pm - In accordance with Council convention, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan, and the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Andrew Brown, were given unlimited time to speak on the Budget report.

 

Speeches on the report were also made by Councillors Christabel Cooper, Bora Kwon, and Max Schmid (for the Administration).

 

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan, then made a speech winding up the debate. The report and recommendations were put to the vote and a roll-call was undertaken, in accordance with Council convention when voting on the budget:

 

FOR                            AGAINST                   NOT VOTING

Aherne                        Alford                                       (None)

Caleb-Landy                Brocklebank-Fowler

Brown (D)                    Brown (A)

Connell                        Donovan

Cooper                        Johnson

Cowan                         Karmel

Culhane                       Lloyd-Harris

De’Ath                         Loveday

Fennimore                   Stainton

Harcourt                      Stanton

Harvey                         Thorley

Homan                                                           

Jones                                                             

Kwon

Leighton

Macmillan                                                       

Morton                                                            

Murphy                                                           

Perez                                                              

Qayyum

Quigley

Ree

Richardson

Sanderson

Schmid

Siddique

Smith

Uberoi

Umeh

Vaughan

Vincent

 

FOR                            31

AGAINST                    11

NOT VOTING            0

 

The report and the recommendations were declared CARRIED.

 

8.14pm – RESOLVED

 

That Council, for the reasons set out in this report and appendices, agree:

1.1.          To note that the Council is entering the 10th year of government-imposed austerity. This year’s reduction in government investment is £3.5m, meaning a total reduction of £73m. 

 

1.2.          To apply central government’s modelled “adult social care precept” levy of 2% for 2019/20.

 

1.3.          To note that in previous years this levy was covered by the council but due to continued government cuts this has become unsustainable

 

1.4.          To adjust the Hammersmith & Fulham element of the council tax in line with inflation (2.7%) for 2019/20.

 

1.5.          To set council tax for 2019/20 for each category of dwelling, as calculated in accordance with Sections 31A to 49B of the Localism Act 2011, as outlined in the table below and in full in Appendix A:

 

(a)       The element of council tax charged for Hammersmith & Fulham Council will be £762.02 per Band D property in 2019/20

(b)       The overall Council Tax to be set at £1,082.53 per Band D property in 2019/20.

(c)         The Adult Social Care Precept will be set at 2% and forms £14.55 of the Hammersmith & Fulham Band D charge.

 

Category of Dwelling	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
Ratio	6/9 £	7/9 £	8/9 £	1 £	11/9 £	13/9 £	15/9 £	18/9 £
a) H&F	508.01	592.68	677.35	762.02	931.36	1,100.70	1,270.03	1,524.04
b) GLA	213.67	249.29	284.90	320.51	391.73	462.96	534.18	641.02
c) Total	721.68	841.97	962.25	1,082.53	1,323.09	1,563.66	1,804.21	2,165.06

 

1.6.          To note the element of council tax charged by the Greater London Authority in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 will be £320.51 per Band D property in 2019/20.

 

1.7.          To set the Council’s own total net expenditure budget for 2019/20 at £136.712m.£

 

1.8.          To approve £10.8m new investment on key services for residents.

 

1.9.          To approve fees and charges as set out in paragraph 6.1 including freezing charges in adult social care, children’s services and housing.

 

1.10.       To approve the use of £2.0m from the additional benefit receivable from the 2018/19 London 100% business rates retention pilot.

 

1.11.       To note the budget projections to 2022/23 made by the Strategic Director, Finance and Governance in consultation with the Strategic Leadership Team.

 

1.12.       To note the statement of the Strategic Director, Finance and Governance, under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003, regarding the adequacy of reserves and robustness of estimates (section 14).

1.13.       To authorise the Strategic Director, Finance and Governance to collect and recover National Non-Domestic Rate and Council Tax in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (as amended), the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and the Council’s Scheme of Delegation.

 

1.14.       To require all Directors to report on their projected financial position compared to their revenue estimates in accordance with the Corporate Revenue Monitoring Report timetable.

 

1.15.       To authorise Directors to implement their service spending plans for 2019/20 in accordance with the recommendations within this report and the Council's Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, relevant Schemes of Delegation and any further consultation required regarding the Equalities Impact Assessment.